Chook Me!

Chickens, Winter heat lamps question?

This is my fourth winter with chickens. I have 20 in each coop. The coop I built this summer is bigger than my first one and I am wondering if I should put an extra heat lamp in there for the winter. I live in Ohio, winters are mild with night time temps about 33 degrees, seldom colder. My older birds are in there, they are 2 and 3 years old. I only use the lamp in the other coop to help keep the water from freezing, but it helps warm coop because the coop is smaller. Thank you two for answering. I was thinking about the same. I was wondering if there were other people on the program who raised poultry. I wanted to add, "Rusty Oldma, I eat my pets", but oh my what a back lack that would make, lol. What Color do you use for heat lamps. Red or White and why? I am thinking about putting a white one in there, with the red one. That way the girls have a choice. Cool?

Public Comments

1. Yes, it would not hurt to get another heat lamp. if it gets too warm you can always take it out.
2. I'd put the lamp in just to be safe. If they don't need it, they'll sit elsewhere. It's better to have a little more heat needed than not enough.
3. I live in Ohio as well, When winter comes its pretty cold. My dad and I had built a huge coop that is 12(W) * 24(L) * 7(H) so its pretty big. We have a homemade house for my chickens and mostly ducks go into. I put straw in it and when it starts to snow We put a lamp in it. My ducks are really the one who uses it but some of my chickens do too. I also have a nest box and a roost that goes from one end to the other (they definatly love to roost) and of corse feed and water. The water gets frozen so we get the thermal waterers that dont allow them to freeze. Well you prbably only need one, they should be fine with one.